HL Deb 23 March 1981 vol 418 cc960-1

2.46 p.m.

The Earl of Kinnoull

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether 16 Prince's Gate is a listed building; whether the owners intend shortly to restore it; and whether a dangerous structures order is being contemplated in view of the building's present condition.

The Earl of Avon

My Lords, No. 16 Prince's Gate, which is the former Iranian Embassy, is a Grade II listed building. It was of course damaged following the rescue operations last year. I understand that the Westminster City Council have served a dangerous structures notice on the owners and have erected temporary scaffolding. However, the city council have not yet received any firm proposals from the owners for the restoration of the building.

The Earl of Kinnoull

My Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that reply, may I ask him whether he would agree that it is a very unsatisfactory situation that this listed building, one of a terrace of listed buildings, should remain in a dangerous structural condition for over 10 months; and that if the owner had been anything other than an embassy the compulsory repair powers would have been invoked by now? Can my noble friend say whether his department is now in direct touch with the embassy and is pressing for an early undertaking to repair, and what reaction he is receiving?

The Earl of Avon

My Lords, I think my noble friend goes too far in what is a quite exceptional situation. I understand that an informal approach has been made to the local planning authority by the agents acting for the Iranians. Westminster City Council have informed them that they wish to see the building restored to its former state. Obviously, this is something in which we are all interested, but it will take time.

Baroness Birk

My Lords, while appreciating the special circumstances of this case, and also being only too well aware of the problems raised by diplomatic immunity and the natural desire of the Foreign Office not to offend foreign missions, but in view of this and what has happened recently to the Chinese Embassy in Portland Place, will the Government indicate that they will take steps to ensure that foreign Governments will not be allowed to continue to flout the building controls which apply to all other citizens? I appreciate that this is a difficult situation faced by all Governments, but it is getting rather serious.

The Earl of Avon

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness for the terms in which she asked that question. Perhaps I should put on record the facts about the Chinese Embassy's properties. In October 1973 the then Secretary of State granted outline planning permission and listed building consent for the partial demolition of these buildings, and for the erection of a new embassy behind the existing facade. Detailed planning permission was granted in October 1978, and these consents in fact provoked little comment at the time. However, when demolition work began towards the end of last year the district surveyor became very concerned about the structural condition of the main facades, and on the basis of his report Westminster City Council gave permission for them to be taken down in the interests of public safety. I assure the noble Baroness that the Government are looking at the overall situation, and will keep a close eye on it.